Jeremiah 44:1-14

New International Version

Disaster Because of Idolatry

44 This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in Lower Egypt^(A)—in Migdol,^(B) Tahpanhes^(C) and Memphis^(D)—and in Upper Egypt:^(E) ²“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You saw the great disaster^(F) I brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah.^(G) Today they lie deserted and in ruins^(H) ³because of the evil^(I) they have done. They aroused my anger^(J) by burning incense^(K) to and worshiping other gods^(L) that neither they nor you nor your ancestors^(M) ever knew. ⁴Again and again^(N) I sent my servants the prophets,^(O) who said, ‘Do not do this detestable^(P) thing that I hate!’ ⁵But they did not listen or pay attention;^(Q) they did not turn from their wickedness^(R) or stop burning incense^(S) to other gods.^(T) ⁶Therefore, my fierce anger was poured out;^(U) it raged against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem and made them the desolate ruins^(V) they are today.

⁷“Now this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Why bring such great disaster^(W) on yourselves by cutting off from Judah the men and women,^(X) the children and infants, and so leave yourselves without a remnant?^(Y) ⁸Why arouse my anger with what your hands have made,^(Z) burning incense^(AA) to other gods in Egypt,^(AB) where you have come to live?^(AC) You will destroy yourselves and make yourselves a curse^[a] and an object of reproach^(AD) among all the nations on earth. ⁹Have you forgotten the wickedness committed by your ancestors^(AE) and by the kings^(AF) and queens^(AG) of Judah and the wickedness committed by you and your wives^(AH) in the land of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem?^(AI) ¹⁰To this day they have not humbled^(AJ) themselves or shown reverence,^(AK) nor have they followed my law^(AL) and the decrees^(AM) I set before you and your ancestors.^(AN)

¹¹“Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty,^(AO) the God of Israel, says: I am determined to bring disaster^(AP) on you and to destroy all Judah. ¹²I will take away the remnant^(AQ) of Judah who were determined to go to Egypt to settle there. They will all perish in Egypt; they will fall by the sword or die from famine. From the least to the greatest,^(AR) they will die by sword or famine.^(AS) They will become a curse and an object of horror, a curse and an object of reproach.^(AT) ¹³I will punish^(AU) those who live in Egypt with the sword,^(AV) famine and plague,^(AW) as I punished Jerusalem. ¹⁴None of the remnant of Judah who have gone to live in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, to which they long to return and live; none will return except a few fugitives.”^(AX)

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Footnotes

Jeremiah 44:8 That is, your name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that you are cursed; also in verse 12; similarly in verse 22.

Jeremiah 44:1-14

English Standard Version

Judgment for Idolatry

44 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Judeans who lived in the land of Egypt, at ^(A)Migdol, at ^(B)Tahpanhes, at Memphis, and in the land of ^(C)Pathros, ²“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You have seen all the disaster that I brought upon Jerusalem and upon all the cities of Judah. Behold, this day ^(D)they are a desolation, and no one dwells in them, ³because of the evil that they committed, ^(E)provoking me to anger, ^(F)in that they went to make offerings ^(G)and serve other gods that they knew not, neither they, nor you, nor your fathers. ⁴^(H)Yet I persistently sent to you all my servants the prophets, saying, ‘Oh, do not do this abomination that I hate!’ ⁵^(I)But they did not listen ^(J)or incline their ear, to turn from their evil and make no offerings to other gods. ⁶^(K)Therefore my wrath and my anger were poured out and kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, ^(L)and they became a waste and a desolation, as at this day. ⁷And now thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: Why do you commit this great evil ^(M)against yourselves, to cut off from you ^(N)man and woman, ^(O)infant and child, from the midst of Judah, leaving you no remnant? ⁸^(P)Why do you provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, ^(Q)making offerings to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have come to live, so that you may be cut off and become ^(R)a curse and a taunt among all the nations of the earth? ⁹Have you forgotten the evil of your fathers, ^(S)the evil of the kings of Judah, ^(T)the evil of their^[a] wives, your own evil, ^(U)and the evil of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? ¹⁰They have not humbled themselves even to this day, ^(V)nor have they feared, nor walked in my law and my statutes that I set before you and before your fathers.

¹¹“Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ^(W)Behold, I will set my face against you for harm, to cut off all Judah. ¹²I will take the remnant of Judah who have ^(X)set their faces to come to the land of Egypt to live, and they shall all be consumed. ^(Y)In the land of Egypt they shall fall; by the sword and by famine ^(Z)they shall be consumed. ^(AA)From the least to the greatest, they shall die by the sword and by famine, ^(AB)and they shall become an oath, a horror, ^(AC)a curse, and a taunt. ¹³^(AD)I will punish those who dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, ¹⁴^(AE)so that none of the remnant of Judah who have come to live in the land of Egypt shall escape or survive ^(AF)or return to the land of Judah, to which they desire to return to dwell there. For they shall not return, ^(AG)except some fugitives.”